The All Progressives Congress in Plateau State has dismissed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar‘s criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Jos, claiming that the ex-VP “lacks the locus standi to complain on behalf of the people of the State.”
Plateau APC’s acting publicity secretary, Shittu Bamaiyi, issued a statement on Monday claiming that Atiku’s assault was politically driven and “uninformed.”
Tinubu attended Mama Lydia’s funeral service this weekend at the Church of Christ in Nations headquarters in Jos, the capital of Plateau State.
During the event, the President delivered a speech advocating for unity, peace, and tolerance, urging locals to “shun religious and ethnic differences” and live in harmony.
In a Saturday statement, Atiku criticised Tinubu’s plan to visit Plateau, one of the places hardest hit by violent attacks, as “a sad reflection of priorities and a mockery of leadership.”
He claimed that the president’s decision to attend the event “under the auspices of his party’s national chairman” demonstrated a lack of understanding and sympathy.
The ex-VP said that Tinubu should have paid a visit to sympathise with victims of the region’s ongoing killings and displacement.
However, Plateau APC noted that Atiku’s criticism neglected the role of state governors in preserving security, as well as the President’s support for local security operations.
The party claimed Atiku’s remarks amounted to creating “political capital” out of tragedy.
It said, “By all standards and definitions, Alhaji Atiku belongs to the class of the nation’s statesmen, in addition to the fact that he possesses the qualities of an infamous opposition leader in Nigeria’s political landscape.
“From the content of his statement and disposition, in the context of insurgency on the Plateau, it would not be out of place to say that Alhaji Atiku spoke in bad faith and also from an uninformed position.”
The party defended Tinubu, stating, “Undoubtedly, Asiwaju is the President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and on whose shoulders the security of the citizens of the country rests, notwithstanding the fact that the state governors, too, owe the people the constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property in their respective jurisdictions.
“In crisis situations, the President usually gives marching orders to the security agencies to, at all costs, restore peace and order, in addition to providing logistics support to effectively carry out their mandates.”
It was highlighted that Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s public acceptance of federal backing for Plateau security operations, as well as Tinubu’s enthusiastic reception in Jos, demonstrated local appreciation for the president’s intervention.
While the APC acknowledged that discourse on how to combat insecurity was appropriate, it maintained that Atiku’s broad critique of a presidential condolence visit was incorrect.
“If Governor Mutfwang, the Chief Security of the State, could in all honesty publicly give the President a pat on the back, it stands to reason that Alhaji Atiku lacks the locus standi to complain on behalf of the people of the State,” the party said.
The Plateau APC urged critics to focus less on ceremonial visits and more on practical demands.
“What is of utmost importance and interest to the people of Plateau State is the need to provide more military assets as well as boots on the ground, to tackle the insurgents head-on, rather than ceremonial visits,” Plateau APC added.
